video;

[brushoff]

[ Dorian's sitting down on a small, jet black armchair, tucked in the corner of an all too busy bedroom. There's a bookshelf stacked to the brim with books to the left and a medium sized oil painting hanging on the wall, a Romantic seascape with more emphasis on the clouds than the water, clouds painted in dark, stormy, gray brushstrokes. Dorian gives the camera a small nod, then starts to read from a book, in an even, measured tone, perfect for audiobooks. ]

"It was the strangest book that he had ever read. It seemed to him that in exquisite raiment, and to the delicate sound of flutes, the sins of the world were passing in dumb show before him. Things that he had dimly dreamed of were suddenly made real to him. Things of which he had never dreamed were gradually revealed." [ There's a pause, while Dorian flips the pages and continues reading. ]

"'I am so sorry, Harry,' he cried, 'but really it is entirely your fault. That book you sent me so fascinated me that I forgot how the time was going.' 'Yes, I thought you would like it,' replied his host, rising from his chair. 'I didn't say I liked it, Harry. I said it fascinated me. There is a great difference.'"

[ Dorian closes the book, as he looks to the camera. There's a hint of a melancholy tone in his voice as he continues—somebody's obviously been lost in memory. ] Words written by Oscar Wilde—today's his birthday, by the way. Wear a carnation and take some absinthe in his honor. But the words of the post aren't what I want you to think about: the content is.

Let's talk about books, network. What's your favorite book? Or perhaps your favorite author? And, if those are questions you simply can't answer, what's your favorite genre? And finally, has there ever been a book that so captivated you the way the one Oscar wrote about captivated me?

Comments

[brushoff]

I don't think so. Speeches aren't narration.

[ Still, Dorian can't help but smile a little as he continues. ] I find it beautifully ironic that out of all her contemporaries, out of all the famous poets she lived with or regularly frequented with, all the celebrated men of their time, the one who lives on most in the popular consciousness is a woman who, despite her impressive pedigree, many still thought less of.

[magnitudes]

They read heaps good as speeches.

( But he has sabotaged her obnoxiousness roll: Dorian uses positive sentiment about women, it's super effective.

A moment of pause, and she tilts her head slightly to the side. )

I reckon--

I reckon it's because a lot of people can relate. Being on the outside, being hurt. Or it's doing something that you should have known better than to attempt and living with the consequences. She found themes and tapped into some visceral things that stretch out past time. It's about-- humanity.

( but let's not encourage people to think she has an inch of depth: )

Shame she didn't get to make big bucks on Halloween merch, hey?

[brushoff]

[ Neener neener neener, defeating trolling through feminism ]

Even if she managed to get half the royalties generated, she'd be living like a queen.

[magnitudes]

( how very dare you )

You could call it the crowning achievement.

[brushoff]

[ He groans at the terrible pun. ]

God, have we started a pun war? You need consensus if you're starting a pun war.

[magnitudes]

Do you really, though? Maybe it's more like a pun ambush.

[brushoff]

I can think of a lot of ambushes that lead to more sustained conflict. It's got the potential for a pun war.

[magnitudes]

You're not wrong. Besides, war and puns do both end with people in stitches.

[brushoff]

Especially when one of the party kills it at wordplay.

[magnitudes]

I could just start repeating the same puns over and over. The power of restoring life, or something.

[brushoff]

[ Dorian pauses for a bit, thinking, before one finally hits. ]

If that were the case, I'd have to concede to you as the victor.

[magnitudes]

( She squints for just a moment before grinning. Nice, very nice, and the sentiment shows in her grin and the raise of her eyebrows. Skilfully done. )

Maybe. Although, that might be Igor-norant, giving up so quick.

( Hmm. ) Is it cheating? Since he's only in movies, and that?

[brushoff]

He's been in a lot of movies, I don't think that's cheating. If you made a pun based on...I don't know, some random love interest that only showed up in one Hammer Horror film, I'd call you out on that.

[magnitudes]

You ever seen Young Frankenstein? Because, okay, she might be just in that movie but I'm pretty sure working Blücher into a pun would be pretty great.

[brushoff]

[ And then Dorian makes the appropriate horse whinny noise at the name Blücher. Yes, he knows Young Frankenstein. ]

The only thing I'm coming up with is "Blücher? I hardly knew 'er!" which is terrible in it's own right.

[magnitudes]

It is, but where would we be without being terrible, honestly?

( Isn't that the basis for this new trainwreck of a bromance? )

Right, if we ever meet off the internet, I reckon we should do a bit of a walk this way moment and see how many people get it.

[brushoff]

Oh, we'll meet off the internet at some point. I'm a regular frequenter of swear-ins that give us booze.

[ who's ready for the WORLD'S WORST BROMANCE. ]